英国新闻听力 77

BBC News with Ally Macue

The Israeli army has been continuing its bombarbment in the Gaza strip attacking more than 40 targets which is said including tunnel networks,weapon stores and houses belonging to Hamas militants¹ .The Palestinian health ministry² says that 90 people have been killed since Israel began its ground operations on Saturday .From the Israeli Gaza boarder Bethany Bell reports

From the border, the thunder of artillery³ fire fills the air .Israeli helicopters fly overhead .Ealier we saw flares⁴ light up the light sky .Sometime later several Israeli military ambulances passed by, leading to the speculation⁵ some kinds of medical evacuation may have under way .But there's been no confirmation⁶ about this .In Gaza ,itself furious fighting is under way .Palestinian sources say there have been intensive exchanges of fire in the east of Gaza city .They say many houses have been damaged and hundreds of people have been taken refugees in school buildings to escape the fighting .

As the fighting continues in Gaza,European mediators have been stepping up efforts to end the violence .President Nicolas Sarkozy of France has held talks with Palestinian leaders in Ramallah at the beginning the mission to the region.Afterwards, he called for a rapit ceasefire ,at the first temporary, to allow better access for humantarian aid .

America's three biggest car companies have recorded a major losses in annual sales ,confiming that the industry is in serious difficulty .Sales for Chrysler were down by about 30 percent last year while Ford⁷ and General Motors sold more than 20 percent fewer vehicles in 2007 .Our economist⁸ correspondent Andrew Walker reports

The car sale figures show the industry wheeling from a cute declining in consumer confidence .Replacing a car at purchasing can be delayed ,and that's Americans have become more concerned about the economic outlook.Many have decided⁹ to do just that .Concerns about job security because of rising unemployment made such large purchases seem more risky¹⁰ .It is also become harder for car buyer to get loans and many American motorists can buy a new vehicle only on credit .General Motors, along with Chrysler had to go to the US government for emergency loans to stay in business .

The president-elect of United States Barack Obama has begun a series of meeting with the members of Congress to discuss a massive of stimulus¹¹ package aimed reviving the US economy .Speaking at the start of the talks, Mr. Obama said America faces what he called the extraodinary economic challenge .

The reason we are here today is because the people's business can not wait .We've got an extraordinary economic chanellenge ahead of us .We are expecting a sobering drug report at the end of the week .The speaker and her staffs have been extraodinary helpful in working with our team so that we can shape an economic recovery and reimbursement¹² plan that starts putting people back to work .

World News from the BBC .

The Sri Lankan military says troops have now reached the southern outskirts¹³ of the strategic Elephant Path a cross way linking the northen peninsula to the mainland after intensive clashes with Tamil Tiger rebels .A military spokenman said they are now conducting probing operations to recapture the entire Elephant Path from the rebels .There has been no reaction from the rebels who have held the Path since 2000.

Senior commander in the main rebel movement in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo say they've ousted¹⁴ their leader ,the renegade general, Lauren Nkunda.The rebel's spokenman said a new leadership would be set up . The military high command decided unanimously to put an end to the CNDP leader bad governments which is dangerous for the militants’future and for the Congolese people .The military high command decided to set up a new leadership which will be coordinated¹⁵ by a crisis committee .The new leadership had pledged before the CNDP members ,the Congolese people and the international community to creat a favourable¹⁶ conditions for peace . General Nkunda has denied he has been ousted. His spokesman told the BBC senior commanders had been called to a meeting on Tuesday.

The Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has ordered Russia's state enegry giant Gazprom to reduce European gas supplies through Ukraine by the amount he says that Kiev has already stolen .Gazprom’s chief executive told reporters the company would make up the shortfalls using other routes .European union says ealier disruption to Russian gas supplies has been corrected .

Doctor in Britain are advising golfers to wear ear with the use of new generation of a thin face detaining to prevent damage to their hearing .In a report in British Medical Journal ,the Ear, nose and throat specialist doctor said the noise from the club exceeded from 130 decibels,more than a gunshot .

BBC News.

1 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

2 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

3 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

4 flares   

n.喇叭裤v.（使）闪耀( flare的第三人称单数 )；（使）（船舷）外倾；（使）鼻孔张大；（使）（衣裙、酒杯等）呈喇叭形展开

参考例句：

• The side of a ship flares from the keel to the deck. 船舷从龙骨向甲板外倾。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He's got a fiery temper and flares up at the slightest provocation. 他是火爆性子，一点就着。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

6 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

7 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

8 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

9 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

10 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

11 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

12 reimbursement   

n.偿还，退还

参考例句：

• He received reimbursement for his travel expenses.由于出差的花费他可以得到公司的补偿。
• Which forms do I need to complete for my travel reimbursement?我需要填什么表来报我的旅费？

13 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

14 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

15 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

16 favourable   

adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的

参考例句：

• The company will lend you money on very favourable terms.这家公司将以非常优惠的条件借钱给你。
• We found that most people are favourable to the idea.我们发现大多数人同意这个意见。